Scottish Executive

Environment

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many environmental risk assessments have been carried out on the Ravenscraig site in Lanarkshire and whether the findings of any such assessments are publicly available.

Rhona Brankin: An environmental impact assessment was carried out by Aspinwall and Company in support of a planning application by British Steel PLC in November 1994 for the proposed development of a secure containment facility at Ravenscraig. The resulting Environmental Statement is available from North Lanarkshire Council, or from the Scottish Executive Library.

  The Scottish Environment Protection Agency carried out an assessment of the impact of a proposed discharge from a groundwater treatment plant at the site on the receiving watercourse. A consent under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 was issued in January 1997 and details are available from the agency.

Fisheries

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans are contained within the current proposals for shellfish regulation orders in the Highlands, Orkney, the Western Isles and the Solway Firth to ensure that adequate enforcement regimes are in place.

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the enforcement procedures in place for existing and proposed shellfish regulation orders are adequate.

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the policy of the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency is on the enforcement of inshore fisheries and shellfish regulation orders.

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its definition is of community enforcement in the context of existing and proposed shellfish regulation orders and how such enforcement will be carried out in practice.

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on the enforcement of local shellfish regulation Orders.

Rhona Brankin: Regulating Orders are made under the Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act 1967, which places the responsibility for enforcing the Order with the grantee. The local management of shellfisheries under a Regulating Order is an initiative which is designed to improve stocks for the benefit of those fishermen and communities with an interest in the regulated fishery. With such benefits come responsibilities, of which enforcement is one. The Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency’s remit in regard to inshore fisheries covers European, UK and Scottish legislation, for example, controls under the Inshore Fishing (Scotland) Act 1984.

  The adequacy of the enforcement of a Regulating Order is a responsibility of the Regulating Order management organisation. The Shetland Shellfish Management Organisation (SSMO) in their agreed Management Plan saw community enforcement as licensed shellfishermen, local processors and the community in general reporting any transgressors of the Order, aiding the SSMO’s submission of a report to the Procurator Fiscal and subsequently testifying in court. On the issue of dealing with suspected offences, the SFPA have offered to provide the SSMO with detailed advice and training. This offer has yet to be taken up.

  Those applying for Regulating Orders in Orkney, the Western Isles, the Highlands and the Solway Firth are aware of the enforcement responsibilities that come with an Order. In Orkney, enforcement through utilising shellfishermen and processors is envisaged alongside employment of a part-time inspector of creels and catches. Initial proposals for enforcement of any Highland Regulating Order envisages responsibility for policing carried out on an alternating basis by vessels whilst at sea and the possibility of employment of dedicated fishery officers. The draft Management Plan for the proposed Solway Firth Order states that enforcement will be by spot checks on hand gatherers and vessels and through inspections at designated landing points. Use of a vessel monitoring system where equipment fitted on the vessel will enable identification of its location is also envisaged. Proposals for a Western Isles Regulating Order are as yet at an early stage.

Fisheries

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has for the enforcement of the shellfish licensing scheme proposed in the December 2000 UK consultation document on shellfish licensing.

Rhona Brankin: No final decisions have yet been taken, following the consultation exercise by the Fisheries Departments in the UK, on shellfish licensing.

  If it is decided to introduce a scheme operated by the Fisheries Departments, enforcement of the scheme arrangements would fall to the departments and would generally be undertaken by the relevant Sea Fisheries Inspectorates. In Scotland, that would be the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency. Responsibility for enforcing any local scheme arrangements which were also introduced would rest with the relevant local interests.

Fisheries

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the December 2000 UK consultation document on shellfish licensing includes provisions for it to operate a licensing scheme and what is meant by "locally managed" in relation to the policing of such a scheme.

Rhona Brankin: Consultation was undertaken on the basis of proposals that there would be, initially, a national shellfish licensing scheme run by the Fisheries Departments and that, subject to the necessary legal powers being secured, this could be supplemented by local management measures.

  The consultation paper suggests that local management might be through the Sea Fisheries Committees for England and Wales, or other bodies. Policing arrangements would depend on the nature of, and statutory basis for, local conditions related to shellfish licensing. In Scotland, where Sea Fisheries Committees do not operate, these might follow the model for Regulating Orders, in relation to which existing statute places responsibility for enforcement with the local body to which regulating powers are granted. Any further legislative proposals by the Fisheries Departments would however be subject to consultation with industry and other interests in the normal way.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the foot-and-mouth disease provisionally free area status to be lifted.

Ross Finnie: Initial discussions have already been held with the European Commission, as a first step to establishing what criteria will be applied before Scotland, or parts of Scotland, will be eligible to export to the EU. It is difficult at this stage to say how long it will take to recover our export status.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to announce further relaxations of foot-and-mouth disease regulations to allow trading at auction marts in provisionally free areas.

Ross Finnie: Resumption of trading at auction marts is being kept under review in the light of the improving disease situation. However, I see no immediate prospect of their resumption.

Local Government

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have published Best Value plans; whether it will make copies of these plans available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, and what action is being taken against any local authority that has not published a plan or has published an unsatisfactory plan.

Peter Peacock: Scottish local authorities are not required to publish a "Best Value" plan (unlike in England and Wales). However, under the voluntary approach adopted to Best Value to date in Scotland, all local authorities are expected to undertake a rolling programme of Best Value reviews of all their services and to publicise the results of these reviews locally. From April 2000 they were also expected to, and have developed their own Public Performance Reporting frameworks which make information about performance available to those who are recognised stakeholders in local authority activities.

Rural Transport

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific communications it has had with the European Commission with regard to improving rural transport.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive, together with the UK Government, is in contact with the European Commission from time to time to discuss a broad range of transport issues including rural transport such as public service obligations on lifeline air and ferry routes.

Rural Transport

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list any demand-responsive rural public transport schemes that it has funded.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive provides funding to local authorities through the Rural Public Passenger Transport grant which authorities may use for demand-responsive public transport services if they wish. I am aware that East Lothian Council has used part of its funding for such a service around Gaberlunzie.

  In addition, voluntary and community groups can apply to the Scottish Executive’s Rural Community Transport Initiative (RCTI) for funding for demand-responsive services. 12 of the projects funded from the RCTI include demand-responsive elements.

Rural Transport

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list any demand-responsive rural public transport schemes that have included the use of telematics, specifying in each case how telematics were used.

Sarah Boyack: I am not aware of any demand-responsive public transport schemes in Scotland that have included the use of telematics. I am aware that a number of local authorities and community groups are considering using telematics for this purpose.

Rural Transport

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to fund any pilot projects on the use of telematics in demand-responsive rural public transport services.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive provides funding to local authorities through the Rural Public Passenger Transport grant which authorities may use for demand-responsive public transport services if they wish. It would be for authorities to decide whether to use part of that funding for a pilot project on the use of telematics.

  In addition, voluntary and community groups can apply to the Scottish Executive’s Rural Community Transport Initiative (RCTI) for funding for demand-responsive services. I would be happy to consider any application for the use of telematics in demand-responsive rural transport service provision alongside the many other bids I will no doubt receive this autumn.

Rural Transport

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to take forward case studies or pilot projects similar to those detailed in the report of the European Commission funded project on verifying and strengthening rural access to transport services (VIRGIL).

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive would welcome applications to the Rural Community Transport Initiative for projects that aimed to make innovative use of telematics such as those outlined in the VIRGIL report.

  The Scottish Executive has commissioned research into the accessibility of rural areas and part of this research involves an assessment of the experience of local authorities and others of promoting rural transport projects.

  In addition, the Scottish Executive, together with the Countryside Agency and National Assembly for Wales, will shortly commission a research team led by the University of Aberdeen to carry out a two-year collaborative project, part-funded by the UK Government, to develop policies to promote accessibility in rural areas of the UK. The study will involve the use of local case studies (of which two will be in rural Scotland) to assist in the development of an integrated approach to transport, planning, service provision and environment.

Water Authorities

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether East of Scotland Water Authority plans to enter into any lease arrangements in connection with the Carron Valley reservoir or into any new arrangements for the management of the reservoir and its associated distribution system.

Ross Finnie: This is an operational matter for the East of Scotland Water Authority and I have asked Dr Jon Hargreaves, Chief Executive of ESWA to reply. His response is as follows:

  East of Scotland Water has no plans to enter into lease arrangements in connection with the Carron Valley reservoir or to enter into any new arrangements for the management of that reservoir and its associated distribution system.